Swiss Re News

New Abnormal: Climate Disaster Damage ‘Down’ to $268 Billion

This past year has seen a horrific flood that submerged one-third of Pakistan, one of the three costliest U.S. hurricanes on record, devastating droughts in Europe and China, a drought-triggered famine in Africa and deadly heat waves all over. Yet …

Swiss Re: Natural Disasters Cost Insurers $115 Billion this Year

Hurricane Ian and other natural catastrophes, such as European winter storms, floods in Australia and hailstorms in France and the U.S., have cost insurers an estimated $115 billion so far this year, according to a report published by Swiss Re …

Swiss Re Posts Loss on Hurricane Hit, Signals Price Hikes Ahead

Swiss Re reported a third-quarter loss of $442 million driven by claims tied to the damage from hurricane Ian, and signaled that renewal prices would jump next year. The Zurich-based reinsurer’s key unit saw $2.5 billion in claims related to …

Low Rate of Flood Insurance Cover Spells Danger as Climate Crisis Deepens

Insured losses from floods doubled to $80 billion globally during 2011-2020 compared to the previous decade, while insurance penetration lingered at just 18%, according to Swiss Re Institute’s economic insights report focused on floods. Climate change has led to an …

Claims People: NYSIR, Charles Taylor, Aon, Swiss Re and NAU

NYSIR Hires Senior VP for Claims The New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal, which provides property and casualty insurance for New York state school districts, appointed Michael T. Murdoch as senior vice president of claims. Murdoch has 38 years of experience …

Swiss Re Cuts Fossil Fuel Cover for Oil, Gas to Protect Climate

LONDON –– Swiss Re SRENH.S, the world’s second biggest reinsurer said it would no longer insure most new oil and gas projects following mounting pressure on big business to do more to help the world cap global warming. Last year, …

Swiss Re: Litigation Funders Driving Social Inflation, ‘Outsize’ Verdicts

Swiss Re said in a report released Thursday that litigation funding has become a $17 billion industry globally, with 52% of that money being spent in the United States. The reinsurer said third-party litigation funding (TPLF) is increasing the number …

With Sponges and Petitions, Climate Activists Take on Insurers

FRANKFURT — A prominent activist is calling on insurers like Swiss Re to explore suing major oil companies for climate-related damages, the latest volley in a years-long campaign that pits environmentalists against the insurance industry. The tactic urged by The …

Why Snow, Hail and Wildfire Are Expensive for the Insurance Industry

If you’re having trouble wrapping your mind around the scree of natural catastrophes currently plaguing the world—from deadly July floods in Germany and China to the wildfires still burning in Greece, California and Siberia —you may be interested to know …

Global Insurance Recovery Will Be Faster, Stronger Than in 2008–Swiss Re

NEW YORK — The global insurance industry is poised to recover more quickly and forcefully from the pandemic than it did after the 2008 financial crisis, despite such obstacles as low interest rates and inflation risk, insurer Swiss Re AG’s …